Basic Overview
Officially named Nalinggele Gorge, it is widely known as Devil’s Valley or Kunlun Gate of Hell, one of the world’s five famous death valleys. It sits on the border of Ruoqiang County (Xinjiang) and Qinghai Province, within the eastern zone of Altun Mountain National Nature Reserve若羌县人民....
Dimensions: 100 km long, around 30 km wide, total area roughly 3,500 km²
Altitude: 3,200–4,000 meters above sea level
Terrain: Enclosed by the main Kunlun Ridge to the south and the Qimantage Mountains to the north. The Nalinggele River (meaning “Sun River” in Mongolian) runs through the whole valley, forming wetlands, alpine lakes and lush alpine meadows that look like a gorgeous natural grassland from the outside.
Legends & Terrifying Phenomena
Despite its picturesque scenery with wild flowers, herds of wild yaks, Tibetan antelopes and clear lakes, the valley has been regarded as a cursed forbidden zone by local herdsmen for centuries.
Local folk legends record eerie scenes: when dark clouds sweep across the valley, violent thunder, wild gales and jagged lightning break out instantly. Pale blue will-o'-the-wisps flicker everywhere amid thunderstorms, while people claim to hear desperate screams of hunters, gold diggers and lost herdsmen echoing in the ravine.
Many people and livestock that strayed into the valley vanished without a trace. A typical incident happened in 1983: a herdsman ventured into the valley to retrieve his runaway horses. The horses returned safely days later, yet the herdsman was found dead on a hillside with torn clothes and a horrified facial expression, with no obvious wounds on his body. Skeletons of wild animals, rusted hunting guns and human remains can be spotted all over the valley floor, deepening its gloomy, mysterious reputation.
Scientific Explanation of the “Devil” Mystery
Modern geological surveys have completely decoded the weird phenomena in Devil’s Valley, ruling out supernatural causes:
Strong geomagnetic field & frequent thunderstorms
The valley is covered with massive strongly magnetic basalt formed by Triassic volcanic eruptions, together with over 30 iron ore veins and quartz rock masses, creating an intense magnetic field (peak magnetic intensity reaches 1,000–3,000 gamma)中国气象局. Damp air is trapped by the surrounding mountain barriers and accumulates inside the valley to form thunderclouds. The strong magnetic field interacts with cloud charges to trigger frequent violent thunderbolts. Since there are no tall trees or high landforms in the open meadow, humans and livestock become natural lightning strike targets and get electrocuted easily若羌县人民....
Hidden marshland & underground rivers
The thick pasture conceals deep quagmires and shifting underground watercourses. Travelers are likely to sink into the muddy swamp and drown when the ground thaws in warm seasons.
Local microclimate mutation
Airflow blocked by mountains leads to abrupt weather changes, bringing sudden sandstorms and hailstorms that easily disorient wanderers.
Travel Notice
Devil’s Valley is a strictly protected primitive ecological area and closed to ordinary tourists. Unauthorized entry faces high risks of lightning strikes, bog sinking and wild animal attacks. Only professional geological survey teams with official permits and experienced local guides are allowed to carry out field research inside the gorge.
|
上一篇：
发表、查看更多关于该信息的评论 
将本信息发给好友 
打印本页
